But, the most transformative experience was the birth of my youngest brother. Joel is someone my parents often call a happy accident. At the time that my mother became pregnant, I was 13, and my other brother, Jake, was We were what you would call a well-rounded, perfect family of four. We neatly fit into the perfect classification in nearly every way. We didn't realize what we were missing until the moment that my youngest brother first opened his striking blue eyes. In truth, I resented the fact that I would be having another sibling. Nothing needed to be added to our family, and my mother, already 38 at the time, was considered high risk because of her age.

The pregnancy itself was full of complications that sent the straight course of my life into rollercoaster-like loops that my year-old mind had a hard time comprehending. But now, I can see how forging through those loops helped me to roll with the punches that life inevitably brings. The day Joel was born, my mother took me with her to the hospital rather than my father. It wasn't a planned move, but Jake and my father were both feverish; I was the next best alternative. Sitting with her through every contraction, I gained a new respect for just how powerful and strong a woman could be in what might be considered their weakest moment. Holding her hand and feeding her ice chips, I gained a connection with my mother that I didn't realize we were lacking. The moment my new baby brother came into this world, I realized two things nearly simultaneously.

First, you don't realize how much you need something until it's sitting in your lap. Second, my life after this moment would never be the same. The moment he curled his chubby little finger around mine, I understood the words "happy accident" completely. There are many different experiences in life that have changed a part of me as a person. But, nothing so profoundly changed my views and outlook on life like the birth of my youngest brother. Joel's arrival was a life-altering event that caused me to see the world through new eyes. This reflective essay example about a favorite book is something you might find at the middle or high school level.

However, the moment I read Pride and Prejudice , it was like my literary eyes opened for the first time. When I was first given the assignment of reading Pride and Prejudice , like many of my friends, I scoffed. With an eye roll, I internally calculated how much time I would have to read the book and write a report. I sighed at the loss of time with my friends for a stupid classic. Cracking open the cover, I was determined to hate it before even reading the first words. By the time I reached page 3, I nearly called it quits. But there was something about Elizabeth Bennet that quietly piqued my interest. The moment I reached the end, I was ecstatic and disappointed at the same time. Their ending had been perfect, but I realized I would miss them. Not only them, but I would also miss being part of their world.

It was the first time characters of a story had affected me this way, so I tried to shake it off. However, after several days, that sadness carried me to the classics section of the school library. Despite not reading Pride and Prejudice for a while, it will always be my favorite book. This reflective essay example about the topic of creative writing is what you might expect to see at the college level. The skill of effectively communicating my thoughts and feelings through words and expressions seemed to come easily to me. However, I didn't realize how much my writing was lacking until my thoughts and feelings on writing were pushed nearly to their breaking point through my creative writing course.

Learning the best way to manage time was a huge hurdle for me. I've always been a procrastinator. However, after the first day of class, I realized I would need to modify my thinking and approach to homework. I wasn't able to completely kill the procrastination habit I developed in high school, but I did learn some much-needed time management skills. I also learned how writing without the looming cloud of a deadline could open a creative door. A natural thinker and writer at heart, I thought I understood creative expression and wordplay until my professor handed me my first grade. Upon looking at that striking "D" on the paper, I realized I would have to push myself harder and explore the depths my writing could reach. The field notes were written by hand on lined paper.

They consisted of jotted notes and mental triggers personal notes that would remind me of specific things when it came to writing the notes up. I took some direct observational notes recording what I saw where this was relevant to the research questions and, as I was aiming to get a sense of the culture and working environment, I also made researcher inference notes [1] [2]. Not all the information I recorded was relevant but noting what I found informative contributed to my ability to form an overview on re-reading. However, the reliability of jotted notes alone can be questionable. For example, the notes were not a direct transcription of what the subjects said but consisted of pertinent or interesting information.

Rarely did I have time to transcribe a direct quotation, so relied on my own fairly rapid paraphrasing, which risks changing the meaning. Some technical information was difficult to note down accurately [3]. A tape recorder would have been a better, more accurate method. However, one student brought a tape recorder and was asked to switch it off by a participant who was uneasy about her comments being directly recorded. It seems that subjects feel differently about being recorded or photographed as opposed to observers taking notes , so specific consent should be sought before using these technologies [4]. Question: Discuss at least two things you learnt or discovered — for example about design or working in groups or the physical world — through participating in the Impromptu Design activities.

Firstly, the most obvious thing that I discovered was the advantage of working as part of a group [1]. I learned that good teamwork is the key to success in design activities when time and resources are limited. As everyone had their own point of view, many different ideas could be produced, and I found the energy of group participation made me feel more energetic about contributing something [2]. Secondly I discovered that even the simplest things on earth could be turned into something amazing if we put enough creativity and effort into working on them [1]. With the Impromptu Design activities [3] we used some simple materials such as straws, string, and balloons, but were still able to create some 'cool stuff' [4].

I learned that every design has its weaknesses and strengths and working with a group can help discover what they are. We challenged each other's preconceptions about what would and would not work. We could also see the reality of the way changing a design actually affected its performance. Last week's lecture presented the idea that science is the most powerful form of evidence [1]. My position as a student studying both physics and law makes this an important issue for me [2] and one I was thinking about while watching the 'The New Inventors' television program last Tuesday [3]. The two 'inventors' an odd name considering that, as Smith says, nobody thinks of things in a vacuum were accompanied by their marketing people. The conversations were quite contrived, but also funny and enlightening.

However, after the first day of class, I realized I would need to modify my thinking and approach to homework. I wasn't able to completely kill the procrastination habit I developed in high school, but I did learn some much-needed time management skills. I also learned how writing without the looming cloud of a deadline could open a creative door. A natural thinker and writer at heart, I thought I understood creative expression and wordplay until my professor handed me my first grade. Upon looking at that striking "D" on the paper, I realized I would have to push myself harder and explore the depths my writing could reach. Not only did I learn to sharpen my technical writing chops, but I have found out how to dig into my creative soul to view my emotions and experiences in a whole new way.

Going beyond the five-paragraph essay and fully exploring my feelings about a situation or action was challenging. This creative writing class pushed me to realize there isn't a limit on words when it comes to expressing something. I can convey a simple action a million different ways, and I mastered how to explore each one to find perfection in my written words. I also picked up new flexibility in my writing by opening my mind to different scopes of expression. Expressing all the changes that this class wrought in my writing is truly difficult. But, over the course of the eight weeks we spent together, I became a more competent writer. Not only do my words contain more depth and soul, but my writing itself has entered a whole new arena I didn't realize was possible. By studying new techniques and researching other approaches, I now have a sturdy foundation and a robust writing arsenal for future endeavors.

Half the battle in creating a great reflective paper is finding the perfect topic to write about. Your topic should be something that you experienced, learned, or grew from. It could also be a topic that requires you to think more deeply about a place or book. Reflecting on a personal experience might seem like an easy essay to write. However, to ace your reflection paper, dive deeply into your feelings and choose a topic that triggers a strong emotional response. If a reflective essay doesn't fit you, try exploring more about argumentative essays , including tips for making a compelling argument.

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Thank you! Home Examples Reflective Essay Examples Reflective Essay Examples. Woman Using Laptop Writing a Reflective Essay. What Is Reflective Writing? Tone and Structure Self-reflection is a personal experience. Examples of Reflective Essays Now that you have an understanding of what it takes to write a reflective essay, check out a few examples for inspiration. My Little Brother This essay example is written at a middle or high school level, reflecting on the arrival of a younger sibling. But now, I can see how forging through those loops helped me to roll with the punches that life inevitably brings The day Joel was born, my mother took me with her to the hospital rather than my father.

Reading My Favorite Book This reflective essay example about a favorite book is something you might find at the middle or high school level. Creative Communication This reflective essay example about the topic of creative writing is what you might expect to see at the college level. Finding the Perfect Topic Half the battle in creating a great reflective paper is finding the perfect topic to write about. Some fun, creative topics for self-reflection include: A fight with a family member - Why did it impact you? What did it change about you? The moment you feel in love - Explore the feelings and emotions that come with love and how it changes you. A sunset - What is it about the beauty of a sunset that impacts you? Your secret spot in your house - What about that spot is so important?

Your first job - What was the experience like? Why was it meaningful? Your first date - Examine your emotions on the first date.

A journal requires you to write weekly entries throughout a semester. May require you to base your reflection on course content. A learning diary is similar to a journal, but may require group participation. The diary then becomes a place for you to communicate in writing with other group members. A logbook is often used in disciplines based on experimental work, such as science. You note down or 'log' what you have done. A log gives you an accurate record of a process and helps you reflect on past actions and make better decisions for future actions. A reflective note is often used in law. A reflective note encourages you to think about your personal reaction to a legal issue raised in a course.

An essay diary can take the form of an annotated bibliography where you examine sources of evidence you might include in your essay and a critique where you reflect on your own writing and research processes. a peer review usually involves students showing their work to their peers for feedback. The field notes were written by hand on lined paper. They consisted of jotted notes and mental triggers personal notes that would remind me of specific things when it came to writing the notes up. I took some direct observational notes recording what I saw where this was relevant to the research questions and, as I was aiming to get a sense of the culture and working environment, I also made researcher inference notes [1] [2].

Not all the information I recorded was relevant but noting what I found informative contributed to my ability to form an overview on re-reading. However, the reliability of jotted notes alone can be questionable. For example, the notes were not a direct transcription of what the subjects said but consisted of pertinent or interesting information. Rarely did I have time to transcribe a direct quotation, so relied on my own fairly rapid paraphrasing, which risks changing the meaning. Some technical information was difficult to note down accurately [3]. A tape recorder would have been a better, more accurate method. However, one student brought a tape recorder and was asked to switch it off by a participant who was uneasy about her comments being directly recorded.

It seems that subjects feel differently about being recorded or photographed as opposed to observers taking notes , so specific consent should be sought before using these technologies [4]. Question: Discuss at least two things you learnt or discovered — for example about design or working in groups or the physical world — through participating in the Impromptu Design activities. Firstly, the most obvious thing that I discovered was the advantage of working as part of a group [1]. I learned that good teamwork is the key to success in design activities when time and resources are limited. As everyone had their own point of view, many different ideas could be produced, and I found the energy of group participation made me feel more energetic about contributing something [2].

Secondly I discovered that even the simplest things on earth could be turned into something amazing if we put enough creativity and effort into working on them [1]. With the Impromptu Design activities [3] we used some simple materials such as straws, string, and balloons, but were still able to create some 'cool stuff' [4]. I learned that every design has its weaknesses and strengths and working with a group can help discover what they are. We challenged each other's preconceptions about what would and would not work. We could also see the reality of the way changing a design actually affected its performance. Last week's lecture presented the idea that science is the most powerful form of evidence [1].

My position as a student studying both physics and law makes this an important issue for me [2] and one I was thinking about while watching the 'The New Inventors' television program last Tuesday [3]. The two 'inventors' an odd name considering that, as Smith says, nobody thinks of things in a vacuum were accompanied by their marketing people. The conversations were quite contrived, but also funny and enlightening. I realised that the marketing people used a certain form of evidence to persuade the viewers us? of the value of the inventions [4]. To them, this value was determined solely by whether something could be bought or sold—in other words, whether something was 'marketable'. In contrast, the inventors seemed quite shy and reluctant to use anything more than technical language, almost as if this was the only evidence required — as if no further explanation was needed.

This difference forced me to reflect on the aims of this course—how communication skills are not generic but differ according to time and place. Like in the 'Research Methodology' textbook discussed in the first lecture, these communication skills are the result of a form of triangulation, [5] which I have made into the following diagram:. Brookfield, S , Developing critical thinkers: challenging adults to explore alternative ways of thinking and acting , Open University Press, Milton Keynes. Mezirow, J , Fostering critical reflection in adulthood: a guide to transformative and emancipatory learning , Jossey-Bass, San Francisco. Prepared by Academic Skills, UNSW. This guide may be distributed or adapted for educational purposes. Full and proper acknowledgement is required.

Sign On Expand menu for Sign On Moodle myUNSW Email Microsoft Office myLibrary Careers portal Change your password Need help? Breadcrumb Student Academics skill resources Writing Essay and assignment writing guide Reflective writing. Examples of Reflective Writing. Types of reflective writing assignments A journal requires you to write weekly entries throughout a semester. A self-assessment task requires you to comment on your own work. Some examples of reflective writing Social Science fieldwork report methods section The field notes were written by hand on lined paper. Includes discipline-specific language 3.

Critical evaluation of method 4. Conclusion and recommendation based on the writer's experience Engineering Design Report Question: Discuss at least two things you learnt or discovered — for example about design or working in groups or the physical world — through participating in the Impromptu Design activities. Addresses the assignment question 2. Reflects on direct experiences 3. Direct reference to the course activity 4. The style is relatively informal, yet still uses full sentences. Relating what was learnt. Learning Journal weekly reflection Last week's lecture presented the idea that science is the most powerful form of evidence [1].

Like in the 'Research Methodology' textbook discussed in the first lecture, these communication skills are the result of a form of triangulation, [5] which I have made into the following diagram Description of topic encountered in the course 2. The author's voice is clear 3. Introduces 'everyday' life experience 4. The style is relatively informal, yet still uses full sentences 5. Makes an explicit link between 'everyday' life and the topic References Brookfield, S , Developing critical thinkers: challenging adults to explore alternative ways of thinking and acting , Open University Press, Milton Keynes. Schön, DA , Educating the reflective practitioner , Jossey-Bass. San Francisco.

We thank the students who permitted us to feature examples of their writing. Essay and assignment writing guide Essay writing basics Essay and assignment planning Answering assignment questions Editing checklist Writing a critical review Annotated bibliography Reflective writing Expand menu for Reflective writing How do I write reflectively? Events Study Hacks Workshops All the hacks you need! Conclusion and recommendation based on the writer's experience. Makes an explicit link between 'everyday' life and the topic.

Written typically from a first-person point of view , these types of essays take the reader through a journey of growth and discovery. What was the experience like? San Francisco. First fight with a friend - Were you able to get past the fight? Reading My Favorite Book This reflective essay example about a favorite book is something you might find at the middle or high school level. First, you don't realize how much you need something until it's sitting in your lap.

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